Gangrena Part 3, Theological tract · Part 10 – Part 11
To the Right Honourable the Knights and Burgeſſes in the Commons Houſe of Parliament Aſſembled: The Humble Petition of Thomas Clark.
Moſt Humbly Shewing:
THat the Petitioner entertained one Mary Abram to be his houſe-keeper, and to be eſpecially carefull of his Sonne being grievouſly viſited with the ſickneſſe called the Apoplexie, and by the vehemency of the diſeaſe not ſenſible many times what he did: She the ſaid Mary being between 40. and 50. years of age, and your Petitioners ſonne being 16. years of age at moſt: The ſaid Mary being gone from the Petitioners houſe, comes and claimeth the Petitioners ſonne for her husband, and threatneth the Petitioner for keeping her husband from her, pretending ſhe was married to him by a ſick man who hath lain bed-riden a long time; who denieth the marrying of them, that he had no Licence, nor any Authority to marry them, as by his Certificate may appear, but as he confeſſeth took eleaven ſhillings and ſix pence of her to make ſhow of ſomething, as if he married her to ſatisfie her humour; the youth not knowing any thing thereof concerning het pretended marriage with him: For at that time and ſix weeks after ſhe pretends this marriage; your Petitioners ſon was ignorant of things done and ſaid unto him, and was weak in his underſtanding and right judgement, and without his memory, and ſpeechleſſe as your Petitioner can prove. And whereas ſhe produceth a Certificate to ſhow as married in Saint Georges Church in Southwark, where ſhe never was with him, neither is there any ſuch marriage in the Church Regiſter book to be found; the Lad taketh it to heart he ſhould be ſo abuſed by her, and that it may be a diſcontent to him for ever during his life. And the ſaid Mary hath done ſo in another houſe where ſhe was a ſervant by one P. H. an Apprentiſe about three months before this, and is not free from him to this day. but by a bribe of ten pounds ſhe received of him. She the ſaid Mary defending her practiſe in the ſtreets to be lawfull, ſaying, It was commanded under the Law not to marry without conſent of parents, but that was but a ceremony to them that liyed under the Law; it is now lawfull, becauſe ☞we live under the Goſpel.
He humbly prayeth if it might ſtand with your favour to grant unto him your Warrant to bring before you the ſaid Mary, that upon diſcovery of the Premiſes and lewd practiſe, the Petitioners Son as he hath bin by her publickly diſgraced, he may be publickly diſcharged from her, and ſhe abide ſuch further Order as ſhall be thought meet.
And the Petitioner and his Sonne as in duty bound, ſhall and will daily pray for your Honours long and happy preſervation.
This Mary Abraham before her coming to Maſter Clarks had intangled a young youth, an Apprentice here in London, and claimed a promiſe of marriage at his hand, which buſineſſe was heard before Maſter Jeſſe the Seeker, an Independent Miniſter and ſome others, and it was concluded he ſhould give her ten pounds, and ſo there ſhould be an end between them; which this youth gave her, and there was a writing of diſcharge between them, which ten pounds given by the boy M. Jeſſe received; and faith, it was ſince given to the Parliament. Now though M. Jeſſe knew all this, yet he recommended this Mary to Maſter Clark to be his houſe-keeper who knew nothing of her prancks: when this old wench came to his houſe whilſt the youth was well, ſhe tempted him not, but when he was thus ill (as above mentioned) ſhe tempted him, and in the time of ſome intermiſſion of his ſits before he was perfectly recovered, when the youth went with a ſtaffe ſhe carried him to that Stampe; and when the boy was ill and weak, would come to bed to him: Now after Maſter Clark had put this Mary Abraham away, he found this paper of agreement between a young Apprentize and this Mary by meeer accident in his ſonnes chamber, and with a great deale of paines and enquiry found out this Apprentice in London, from whom he underſtood the whole buſineſſe, whereupon going to Maſter Jeſſe with this paper to taxe him, that he knowing ſuch a buſineſſe would commend ſuch a one to him who was a widdower; Maſter Jeſſe deſiring to ſee the paper (Maſter Clarke letting him ſee it) kept it, and would never reſtore it againe; but Maſter Jeſſe told him he muſt forgive her, and he ſpeaking of complaining of her for doing ſuch a wicked fact, for the ruine of his ſonne; Maſter Jeſſe wiſhed him to take heed ☜of proſecuting a Saint, and to conſider how Jeſus Chriſt at the day of judgement would take it at his hands, with ſuch like words; And this Maſter Clark tels me, having ſpoken to him and ſome other Sectaries of that company, why they ſuffered ſuch a wickedneſſe, and kept her company, he told me I could not imagine the ſhifts and put offs they had among them to colour the wickedneſſe, the affirming and denying ſometimes, ſaying ſhe was not of their Church, but only recommended by Letters Teſtimoniall, ſometimes affirming ſhe had repented.
There is one Maſter Denne, whom I have ſpoken of in my firſt Part of Gangraena, this man goes ſtill up and down the Countries ſpreading his corrupt opinions and dipping; concerning whom I have lately received this Information from a hand that could not miſtake in the relation; and I have the examinations taken before the Juſtices of Peace who examined Denne and others about him, which I here give the Reader.
The Examination of Anne Jarrat of Spalding Spinſter, June 22. 1646. before Maſter Thomas Irbie, and Maſter John Harrington Commiſſioners of the Peace.
THis Examinate ſaith, on Wedneſday laſt in the night about 11. or 12. of the clock Anne Stennet, and Anne Smith, the ſervants of John Makerneſſe, did call out this Examinate to go with them to the little Croft, with whom this Examinate did go; and coming thither, Maſter Denne and John Makerneſſe, and a ſtranger or two followed after. And being come to the River ſide, Maſter Denne went into the water, and there did baptiſe Anne Stennet, Anne Smith, Godfery Roote, and John Sowter in this Examinats preſence.
Anne Jarrat W her mark.